Wireless exercise signal receiver system with personal portable unit as relay transmitter

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an exercise signal receiver system with a personal portable unit as a relay transmitter. Users, when using individual exercise devices, each put on a portable unit to transmit a wireless body signal and a wireless identification code of each user to a common receiving station. The common receiving station receives the identification code of each portable unit and a body signal corresponding to the identification code. The portable units also receive device signals and transmit the device signals to the common receiving station. The common receiving station is connectable via a data input/output interface to a terminal device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a wireless exercise signal receiver system with a personal portable unit as a relay transmitter, and in particular to a long-distance, multifunctional wireless centrally-receiving integrated system.

2. The Related Arts

The rise of living quality of modern people allows people of the developed countries and the developing countries to have more leisure time for doing exercise for body training and entertainment. In the condition of heavy population, it is very luxurious to have a field of a great area for exercise. And, a public field is often not free of charge and users have to spend money and time to achieve their purposes. Thus, a lot of indoor exercise devices have been develop and are available.

The indoor exercise equipment that is available in the market is often provided with an exercise system that detects and transmits the heartbeat or a specific signal of the user to a central computer.

Although the conventional exercise system may detect all sorts of variations of heartbeat, such a design generally cannot satisfy the needs for multiple-purpose body fitting and exercise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, an object of the present invention is to overcome all kinds of problem that the known devices suffer by providing a wireless exercise signal receiver system with a personal portable unit as a relay transmitter.

The technical solution that the present invention adopts to overcome the problems is that users, when using an exercise device, each put on a portable unit to serve as a relay transmitter, which transmits a signal generated by the portable unit to be received by a common receiving station to allow an observer to watch if the physical conditions of the users are not normal.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the exercise devices each comprise at least one a device signal detection unit to detect a device signal of the exercise device and a wireless transceiver that transmits the device signal, in a wireless manner, to be received by a wireless transceiver of the portable unit. The device signal is further transmitted, in a wireless manner, from the wireless transmitter of the portable unit to be received by the wireless receiver of the common receiving station. Further, the exercise devices may each comprise an exercise control unit. The portable unit transmits a device control signal to control the exercise device. The common receiving station may be connected via a data input/output interface to a terminal device.

The present invention provides the following advantages:

(1) It is not limited to application to exercise devices.

(2) It is applicable to indoor and outdoor group exercises, such as aerobic exercise, football games, and tennis games.

(3) The present invention establish a bi-directional signal transmission/receipt architecture between the exercise devices an the portable units, while only a uni-directional signal transmission architecture (serving as a relay transmitter) between the portable units and the common receiving station. In other words, various device signals of the exercise devices can be transmitted to the portable units to be then transmitted, in a wireless manner, to the common receiving station. The portable units may also be configured to generate control signals to control exercise parameters of the exercise devices. Concerning applications, the present invention would be of relatively wide applications.

(4) The present invention provides a common receiving station, which is connectable via a data input/output interface to a terminal device to facilitate transmission, processing, and collection of data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a first embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a system circuit block diagram of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a second embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a third embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a fourth embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a fifth embodiment according to the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a system circuit block diagram of the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, which is a schematic view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in the drawing, an exercise signal receiver system with a personal portable unit as a relay transmitter according to the present invention comprises a plurality of exercise devices 1 a, 1 b, 1 c. Each of the exercise devices 1 a, 1 b, 1 c is provided for use by a user 2 a, 2 b, 2 c. When the users 2 a, 2 b, 2 c use the exercise devices 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, each of the users 2 a, 2 b, 2 c puts on a portable unit 3 a, 3 b, 3 c to serve as a relay transmitter.

Each of the portable units 3 a, 3 b, 3 c generates a wireless body signal s1 a, s1 b, s1 c and a wireless identification code s2 a, s2 b, s2 c that are transmitted in a wireless manner and is received by a common receiving station 41. The common receiving station 41 receives wireless body signal s1 a, s1 b, s1 c and wireless identification codes s2 a, s2 b, s2 c that are displayed on a terminal device 42 electrically connected to the common receiving station 41 to allow an observer (such as a trainer) to observe if the physical conditions of the users 3 a, 3 b, 3 c are abnormal and also to identify the exercise conditions of the users.

Also referring to FIG. 2, which is a system block diagram of the present invention, as shown in the drawing, each of the portable units 3 a, 3 b, 3 c comprises a first processor unit 31, a body signal detector 32, a wireless transmitter 33, an identification code unit 34, a storage device 35, a wireless transceiver 36, and a display device 37. FIG. 2 shows the corresponding relationship between just one portable unit 3 a and the common receiving station 41.

The portable unit 3 a, 3 b, 3 c is worn, through a conventional wearing accessory, such as a belt or a chest strip, on a selected location of the user 2 a, 2 b, 2 c (such as wrist, chest, arm, waist, ankle, or shoe). In the instant embodiment, the portable unit 3 a, 3 b, 3 c can be a wristwatch like portable unit that is wearable on a wrist of the user 2 a, 2 b, 2 c.

The body signal detector 32 is connected to the first processor unit 31. The body signal detector 32 functions to detect the physical condition of the user 2 a (in the instant embodiment, the heart pulse count of the user) and to generate the body signal s1 a′ that is fed to the first processor unit 31.

The wireless transmitter 33 and the identification code unit 34 are connected to the first processor unit 31. The identification code s2 a generated by the identification code unit 34 is a code for identifying the user. The identification code s2 a′ generated by the identification code unit 34 is fed to the first processor unit 31 and then, the wireless transmitter 33 transmits, in a wireless manner, the wireless identification code s2 a to be received by the common receiving station 41.

The storage device 35 is connected to the first processor unit 31 to store at least one body signal s1 a′ and one identification code s2 a′ to be accessed by the first processor unit 31.

After the first processor unit 31 receives the body signal s1 a′ and the identification code s2 a′ generated by the body signal detector 32 and the identification code unit 34 of each of the portable units 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, the first processor unit 31 controls the wireless transmitter 33 to transmit the wireless body signal s1 a and the wireless identification code s2 a to the common receiving station 41.

The common receiving station 41 comprises a second processor unit 411, a data input/output interface 412, a wireless receiver 413, and a storage unit 414. The common receiving station 41 can be one of a mobile communication device, a tablet computer, and a personal computer. The data input/output interface 412 can be one of a wired data input/output interface and a wireless the data input/output interface.

After the common receiving station 41 and the portable unit 3 a, 3 b, 3 c have been matched with each other, the wireless body signal s1 a, s1 b, s1 c and the wireless identification code s2 a, s2 b, s2 c transmitted from the wireless transmitter 33 of the portable unit 3 a, 3 b, 3 c are receivable by the wireless receiver 413 of the common receiving station 41 and then fed to the second processor unit 411.

The second processor unit 411 processes the wireless body signal s1 a, s1 b, s1 c and the wireless identification code s2 a, s2 b, s2 c received by the wireless receiver 413 and stores the wireless body signal s1 a, s1 b, s1 c in the storage unit 414 or transmitted through the data input/output interface 412 to the terminal device 42 according the individuality of each wireless identification code s2 a, s2 b, s2 c. The terminal device 42 can be one of a mobile communication device, a tablet computer, and a personal computer.

Each exercise device 1 a, 1 b, 1 c comprises at least one device signal detection unit 11 to detect a predetermined device signal s3 a′, s3 b′, s3 c′ of the exercise devices 1 a, 1 b, 1 c and then, a wireless transceiver 12 transmits, in a wireless manner, the device signal s3 a′, s3 b′, s3 c′ generated by the exercise device 1 a, 1 b, 1 c to the wireless transceiver 36 of the corresponding one of the portable units 3 a, 3 b, 3 c. The device signal detection unit 11 may comprise one of a speed detection unit, a slope detection unit, a distance detection unit, a power consumption detection unit, a torque detection unit, and a calorie detection unit.

After each of the portable units 3 a, 3 b, 3 c receives, via the wireless transceiver 36, the device signal s3 a′, s3 b′, s3 c′, the wireless transmitter 33 transmits a wireless device signal s3 a, s3 b, s3 c to be received by the common receiving station 41.

Further, each of the exercise devices 1 a, 1 b, 1 c comprises at least one exercise control unit 13. The first processor unit 31 of the portable unit 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, after receiving the device signal s3 a′, s3 b′, s3 c′, transmits a device control signal s4 a, s4 b, s4 c through the wireless transceiver 36 of the portable unit 3 a, 3 b, 3 c. The device control signal s4 a, s4 b, s4 c is received by the wireless transceiver 12 of the exercise devices 1 a, 1 b, 1 c and fed to the exercise control unit 13 to control the operation of the exercise devices 1 a, 1 b, 1 c (such as controlling exercise resistance of the exercise devices 1 a, 1 b, 1 c).

Referring to FIG. 3, which is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the present invention, the components of the instant embodiment are identical to those of the first embodiment and identical components are designated with the same reference numerals for consistency. In the instant embodiment, a portable unit 5 a, 5 b, 5 c is worn on the chest of the user 2 a, 2 b, 2 c with a chest strip. The chest-strip portable unit 5 a, 5 b, 5 c is worn with a chest strip on the chest of the user 2 a, 2 b, 2 c to allow a body signal detector of the portable unit 5 a, 5 b, 5 c to detect the body signal of the user 2 a, 2 b, 2 c.

When the user 2 a, 2 b, 2 c is using an exercise device 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, the chest-strip portable unit 5 a, 5 b, 5 c is worn on the chest of the user 2 a, 2 b, 2 c to detect and transmit the wireless body signal s1 a, s1 b, s1 c, the wireless identification code s2 a, s2 b, s2 c of the user 2 a, 2 b, 2 c and the wireless device signal s3 a, s3 b, s3 c to the common receiving station 41.

Referring to FIG. 4, which is a schematic view of a third embodiment of the present invention, in the instant embodiment, the portable unit 6 a, 6 b, 6 c is an on-waist counter type portable unit that is worn on the waist of a user to provide a counting function when the user is doing outdoor exercise or aerobic exercise. Each of the portable units 6 a, 6 b, 6 c generates a wireless body signal s1 a, s1 b, s1 c and a wireless identification code s2 a, s2 b, s2 c that are transmitted to the common receiving station 41.

Referring to FIG. 5, which is a schematic view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in the instant embodiment, a portable unit 7 a, 7 b, 7 c is a speedometer of a bicycle rode by the user 2 a, 2 b, 2 c in order to provide a speed detection function when the user is doing outdoor exercise or aerobic exercise. The portable unit 7 a, 7 b, 7 c may also be configured as a detector for detecting the heartbeat of the user. Each of the portable units 7 a, 7 b, 7 c generates a wireless body signal s1 a, s1 b, s1 c , a wireless identification code s2 a, s2 b, s2 c and a wireless device signal s3 a, s3 b, s3 c that are transmitted to the common receiving station 41.

Referring to FIG. 6, which is a schematic view of a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in the instant embodiment, the components are identical to those of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and identical components are designated with the same reference numerals. FIG. 7 is a circuit system block diagram of the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

In the instant embodiment, when a user is using an exercise device 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, the portable unit 8 a, 8 b, 8 c is worn on the wrist of the user 2 a, 2 b, 2 c. The portable unit 8 a, 8 b, 8 c does comprise a body signal detector. The user additionally wears a chest strip 9 a, 9 b, 9 c and a body signal detector 32 a is attached to each of the chest strips 9 a, 9 b, 9 c to detect a body signal s1 a′, s1 b′, s1 c′ (such as one of a heartbeat signal, a calorie signal, a pulse signal, a blood glucose signal, and a blood pressure signal).

The body signal s1 a′, s1 b′, s1 c′ detected by the body signal detector 32 a is received by a wireless transceiver 36 of the portable unit 8 a, 8 b, 8 c and then, a wireless transmitter 33 of the portable unit 8 a, 8 b, 8 c transmits the wireless body signal s1 a, s1 b, s1 c, a wireless identification code s2 a′, s2 b′, s2 c′ for identification of the portable unit 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, and a wireless device signal s3 a, s3 b, s3 c in a wireless manner to be received by a common receiving station 41.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An exercise signal receiver system with a personal portable unit as a relay transmitter, comprising: a plurality of exercise devices, each of the exercise devices being usable by a user; characterized in that when the users use the exercise devices, each of the users wears a portable unit, the portable unit comprising: a first processor unit; a body signal detector, which is connected to the first processor unit to detect at least one body signal of the user, the body signal comprising one of a heartbeat signal, a blood pressure signal, a blood glucose signal, a temperature signal, a calorie signal, pulse signal, a blood glucose signal, and a blood pressure signal; a wireless transmitter, which is connected to the first processor unit; and an identification code unit, which is connected to the first processor unit, the identification code unit being pre-assigned with an identification code; wherein after the body signal generated by the body signal detector and the identification code of the identification code unit are received by the first processor unit, the wireless transmitter transmits a wireless body signal and a wireless identification code to a common receiving station, the common receiving station comprising: a second processor unit; a wireless receiver, which is connected to the second processor unit; a data input/output interface, which is connected to the second processor unit and is connected, via one of a wired data input/output interface and a wireless data input/output interface, to a terminal device; and a storage unit, which is connected to the second processor unit; wherein the common receiving station receives, via the wireless receiver, the identification code of the identification code unit of the portable unit and the body signal corresponding to the identification code.
 2. The exercise signal receiver system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portable unit is a portable unit that is attachable to one of a wrist, a chest, an arm, a waist, an ankle, and a shoe.
 3. The exercise signal receiver system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exercise devices each comprises at least one a device signal detection unit, which detects at least one device signal of the exercise device, the device signal being transmitted by a wireless transceiver in a wireless manner to be received by a wireless transceiver of the portable unit, the device signal being transmitted by the wireless transmitter of the portable unit, in a wireless manner, to be received by the wireless receiver of the common receiving station.
 4. The exercise signal receiver system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the device signal detection unit comprises one of a speed detection unit, a slope detection unit, a distance detection unit, a power consumption detection unit, a torque detection unit, and a calorie detection unit.
 5. The exercise signal receiver system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the exercise devices further comprises an exercise control unit, whereby after the first processor unit of the portable unit receives the device signal, the wireless transceiver of the portable unit transmits a device control signal that is received by the wireless transceiver of the exercise devices and applied to the exercise control unit to control the exercise devices.
 6. The exercise signal receiver system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portable unit further comprises a display device connected to the first processor unit.
 7. An exercise signal receiver system with a personal portable unit as a relay transmitter, comprising: a plurality of exercise devices, each of the exercise devices being usable by a user; characterized in that: when the users use the exercise devices, each of the users wears a portable unit, the portable unit comprising: a first processor unit; a wireless transmitter, which is connected to the first processor unit; a wireless transceiver, which is connected to the first processor unit; an identification code unit, which is connected to the first processor unit, the identification code unit being pre-assigned with an identification code; a body signal detector, which detects at least one body signal of the user, the body signal comprising one of a heartbeat signal, a calorie signal, a pulse signal, a blood glucose signal, and a blood pressure signal, the body signal being receivable by the wireless transceiver of the portable unit; wherein after the body signal and the identification code of the identification code unit are received by the first processor unit, the wireless transmitter transmits a wireless body signal and a wireless identification code to a common receiving station, the common receiving station comprising: a second processor unit; a wireless receiver, which is connected to the second processor unit; a data input/output interface, which is connected to the second processor unit; a storage unit, which is connected to the second processor unit; wherein the common receiving station receives, via the wireless receiver, the identification code of the identification code unit of the portable unit and the body signal corresponding to the identification code.
 8. The exercise signal receiver system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the portable unit is attachable to one of a wrist, a chest, an arm, a waist, an ankle, and a shoe of a user.
 9. The exercise signal receiver system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the exercise devices each comprises at least one a device signal detection unit, which detects a device signal of the exercise device, the device signal being transmitted by a wireless transceiver in a wireless manner to be received by a wireless transceiver of the portable unit, the device signal being transmitted by the wireless transmitter of the portable unit, in a wireless manner, to be received by the wireless receiver of the common receiving station.
 10. The exercise signal receiver system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the exercise devices further comprises an exercise control unit, whereby after the first processor unit of the portable unit receives the device signal, the wireless transceiver of the portable unit transmits a device control signal that is received by the wireless transceiver of the exercise devices and applied to the exercise control unit to control the exercise devices. 